


Not a Robot

by No_this_is_not_a_good_username



Category: Twilight Zone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25633834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/No_this_is_not_a_good_username/pseuds/No_this_is_not_a_good_username
Summary: Mike Byrd has to prove his innocence.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	Not a Robot

Scene setting: Warren's Office of the Kaskachuwa County Jail

  
"I really don't feel comfortable doing this", said Joshua.

Joshua is a member of a local technical support enterprise, and was hired to fix a problem that the Kaskachuwa County Jail was encountering within its' system.

"We've already paid you. You wouldn't want to be in breach of contract, now would you? You do know that's a jailable offense?", said Joe.

Joe is the Warren at the Kaskachuwa County Jail.

"What we require of you is very simple. You see these pictures right here. All you have to do is alter the code to this program.

(Break Scene)

Scene setting: Kaskachuwa County Court Room

"All Rise", said Justice Forall.

Justice Forall is the Chief Judge of the Kaskachuwa County Court System

"How does the jury find the defendant, Mr. Mike Byrd?"

Walter Wicken, the jury member chosen to speak on the jury's behalf, stood up.

"We the jury, find the defendant, Mr. Byrd, guilty of 30 counts of first degree murder.", said Walter

"And did you come to a decision on what the punishment should be for the accused's crimes?", said Justice Forall.

"We did indeed. We are under the opinion that, for someone to commit the crimes that Mr. Byrd did, they would have to be ruthless.... a cold-hearted killer......someone so not, not human. It is through that opinion, and the belief that this individual is too gone to be helped, that we recommend the death penalty as punishment.", Walter said.

(Break Scene)

Scene setting: Kaskachuwa County Jail Cell

"But, I'm innocent....You know I was nowhere near the scene of the murders at the time that they occurred. I was over at that Grand Party over on Main Street and I've got the time stamped pictures to prove it.", Mike stated to his lawyer, Mr. Ramus.

"Mike, I believe you. I will be appealing the court's decision, on your behalf and when I find out anything, then I will let you know.", replied Mr. Ramus.

(Break Scene)

Scene setting: Kaskachuwa County Jail Cell

"Okay Mike, I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you like to hear first?", inquired Mr. Ramus.

"Give me the bad first", Mike replied.

"Judge Forall is not going to let you have a re-trial submitting the photos as evidence. Unfortunately, he said that those should have been brought up the first time. He did say; however, that there was an alternative to proving your innocence. Here's how it works...."

(Break Scene)

Scene setting: Mike is sitting at a desk in a poorly lit room inside the Kaskachuwa County Jail. On the desk is a bulky white computer, with an attached mouse and keypad. All of a sudden the Warren walks in.

"Hello Mr. Byrd, my name is Joe. I am the Warren here at this facility, and what I say goes. I believe in punishing those who have done wrong. However, I have been told that you might not have done as many wrongs as I have been led to believe. As such, I am going to give you an opportunity to prove your innocence."  
......  
"Your lawyer probably already explained the reasons why we are using this method to prove your innocence, as well as the process for doing so. However, just in case he did not, I will run them by you again."  
........  
"On the day of your trial, the jury said that only someone 'not human' could've committed the crime you were convicted of. If that is the case, then proving your 'humanity' should prove your 'innocence'. Furthermore, should you prove yourself innocent, then this whole trial will be expunged from your record and you will go home....effective immediately."

  
"Okay, okay. Let's just get this over with. How do I go about doing this again?", Mike asked.

The Warren continued, "Once I turn this computer on, a small screen will come up. This screen will give you a task to prove your humanity. That task will consist of looking at a series of photos. All of the photos will be of the same object.Your job is to pick the sole photo out of them, that shows the object in its natural position. You will only have one opportunity to do this task, so pick carefully, because should you fail then you will be hauled back to your cell and executed by firing squad at dawn. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to leave the room and get myself some coffee. Feel free to start the test at anytime".

Before leaving the room, the Warren pressed the power button on the computer.

Mike stared at the screen while hovering the mouse over the start test button. 

"Better get this over with", he thought.

Mike clicked and began his test. The first thing that he noticed was that there was only 6 photos in the selection to choose from. The second thing that he noticed is that they were all of the same dog, a white terrier. The third thing he noticed was that all the photos showed the dog rotated at various angles clockwise. However, there was only one that caught his eye. 

It was the picture that showed the dog with it's snout pointing to a 3'o'clock position. It's paws would, due to this, be in the natural positions it would be if the dog was walking along the ground.

"This must be what the Warren was talking about when he mentioned the object being in its' natural position. This must be what I need to click.", Mike stated to himself. 

Mike hesitated to click the submit button for the test after choosing the photo of the dog with its' snout in the 3 'o'clock position. However, he knew logically, that it was the only correct answer to be a made. A sense of calm came over him, and then he clicked. 

'I'm going to be free!', Mike thought.

His sense of jubilation was short-lived.

A pop-up showing the results of the test stated that he had picked the wrong answer, and thus, not human.

In the meantime, the Warden walked back in, coffee in hand.

The Warren took one look at Mike's face, then one look at the computer screen, and proceeded to say, "Well, I guess you weren't innocent after all..."

He called in Mr. Fiero and Mr. Dutch, two of the best, and biggest guards, at the prison.

"These two gentleman will escort you back to your cell, and the chaplain will be coming to see you shortly."

The two guards dragged Mike away, kicking and screaming, "It's impossible.....I'm hummmmmaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnn."

In the meantime, the Warden shut the computer off.

(Break Scene)

Scene setting: Kaskachuwa County Warden's (Joe's) Office (The next day, post-Mike's execution)

Joshua was woken up by Joe's entrance into his office.

"It worked like a charm", said Joe.

"What did?", Joshua replied.

"Don't play coy with me now, Mr. Codak. The code you provided, it worked."

.......

"Everything went exactly as planned. He opened up the test, and picked the only answer that could have been correct. Despite doing that, the answer showed up in the system, and to him, as being incorrect.", the Warden explained.

"Does this he have a name?"

"Mike Byrd, convicted of 30 counts of First-Degree Murder", stated the Warden.

"I've known you just long enough to know some of your mannerisms, Joe", said Mr. Codak, "You said convicted.... If you believed him to truly be guilty of that, then you would have phrased that statement in another manner."

"It seems I can get nothing by you, Joshua", Joe said, "You are right. The man was clearly innocent. However, we need not explain things that people refuse to believe to them...we only need to convince them that they are not human. The rest will work itself out."

"Well then, it seems we are at an impasse, because I refuse to go forward with this process knowing that you show no discrepancies between slaughtering the innocent and the guilty.", Mr. Codak boldly replied.

"You will, unless you want to be next.", the Warden threatened.

The two men entered into a staring contest for a good 10 seconds before Mr. Codak bowed out.

"Fine....I'll help, but under protest.", Mr. Codak remarked.

"Good.....That's good, because I am going to need you to do this 49 more times. As you know, the state requires a total of 50 executions a year, and we need to make our quotas."


End file.
